Skihack

How are bindings mounted to this ski? Does this ski come with inserts? I seem to recall some sort of double back tape was being used. Was wondering where this tape could be purchased if it was being used to secure bindings.

Why don't we push for a shorter course? Should be easier due to less travel by the skier. Let's keep the speed at 34 or 36. We don't want to go faster to get a 16.08 or 15.95 whatever the speed may be. I wonder if shortening the course would mess up the mapping of Zero Off. :) Our course is set dead on actual, we have another one at 4" narrow and it is a big difference not only at really deep shortline but at 28 and 32 off as well. We also have a 4 buoy course we like to use when someone needs to work on their gates. Generally , the energy saved allows for a few more passes so all the more time working on the gates. An eight buoy course is an interesting thought right now. I think that would be good for those working on increasing their stamina and ball to ball techniques. Wonder how you would map an 8 buoy course? Guess at this point you would just have to add up the segment times and gate times and go back to timing or put in a gate between turn 6 and 7 and just time that portion.

I see Dave has 9700's along with 9600's for sale as well. Don't hear much about these at tournaments. I've seen one skier on a 9700 and it had a flat top unlike the beveled tops in the pics.

Bog boy, I am thinking that you are skiing at a speed 32 mph and slower hence this would be why you like the triumph better. I really don't see why you cannot freeski at a faster speed, ie 34 mph on the S2 and ski the course with the Triumph at slower speeds. I would think that you would be preparing yourself for the faster speeds in the course as you improve. Just my two cents.

Ed, How did you know I weigh 250 lbs? :) I am currently riding a Theory but it is way too soft. I skied a 69.5" Strada which felt good until 32 off and shorter, hence the curiosity with the S2.

Hopefully, someone can shed some light on this question. Why does the 67.5" S2 support more weight than the 68" A3? On the HO website, the 68" A3 is recommended for 180 lbs. and up, while the 67.5" S2 is recommended for 190 lbs. and up. Am I to assume that the weight recommendation for the S2 is at 34 mph for which it is designed? I am thinking that a 68" A3 will not support 180 lbs. plus at 34 mph.

I hate to say it, but he missed the gate. I am a big fan of Nate's. I watch him ski every chance I can. He is in my opinion the most technical and smoothest skier out there. On the Camera 04 angle, it doesn't even look to be that close. I really hate it for him. If I remember correctly that's two big tourneys this year in which he missed his gates. One thing for sure, if he makes his gates, he is tough to beat.

there is a private ski lake in Wilmington, NC. They do not ski tourneys but it is a nice private ski lake with a course and some Nautiques. I think they do a lot of barefooting so the owner may have increased the distance of the lake. Tried to find their website, apparently it's down. It runs parallel along Interstate 40. Sorry, I cannot remember the name of the owner.

Disbelief that is.

I will get video next time. It will be a cell phone but u will get the pic well enough. The analogy to Obama was to prove point. That one, I am still in disbelier

Ok, I was just passing along what I thought was incredible. Thought some might enjoy hearing about some unknown talent. Reminds me of the year 1986 when everyone said I was crazy talking about a well driller from South Carolina who was running 39.5 off in practice, many thought I was full of it. If you told me in October of 2008 that a black man named Barack Hussein Obama was going to be President of the United States, I would have said you are plain insane and incredibly stupid, so I guess I would react as others have had I not seen it with my own two eyes. Cheers!

Jeff Rodgers comes to mind when you talk about top skiers coming out from nowhere. The first time I saw him ski, and it was one of his first few tourneys, he ran into 38 off twice in three rounds along with 5.5 at 35 off. I have been told he ran into 28 off his first try on the course. Mike Robbins former world record holder in kneeboard slalom ran 3@28 off his first try on the course after buying a brand new Jobe Open Class. He was trying it out:) So, outstanding performances do happen around the country that never get seen in tourneys. There are some incredible talents out there on the big public lakes. I like seeing these folks out on the lake not taking the skiing or themselves so seriously. It's refreshing and good to see keeping the skiing fun.

I am not going to say someone is on drugs such as Matt Brown. However, at this point I am curious. I am not going to judge this skier or demerit her so to speak. I am going to let her use my rope for starters to see what she can do. My rope has been measured and I have never had any trouble with Masterlines. She is definitely an accomplished skier but by no means is she Regina Jaquess or Whitney McClintock. And, I am not going to knock her down, I am going to improve her course if it needs to be done. That kind of thing. Get her skiing in a perfect accurate setup to see what she can do. I believe if something is off, she will probably quickly adapt.

I set the fin up stock and leave it alone all summer. The problems are with the skier not the ski.

Many times I have seen skiers that could run 15 off, 22 off and maybe 28 off and not be able to ski longline or maybe 30, 32, or 34 mph. Like some skiers would start at 22 off and run maybe 3 at 28 off and be finished with two passes because they simply could not run 15 off. Now, this pass week I have seen a skier that can run 38 off and 39.5 off on a Radar Strada, but could not run 32off and 35off. Additionally, she could not run 28 off very well. I was just blown away. I don't really think she could start at 38 off in a tourney and run it. I know the course is legit because I ski on it about the same as Record Cap certified courses. I got to get this skier at a good site and see what she can do. Have any of you guys seen anything like this before?

I would much rather read your rambling than watch the news or all these reality shows. :)

There are two double header INT tournaments scheduled in North Carolina this summer. I believe this to be the case for South Carolina as well. Not sure about Georgia. At the double headers in North Carolina, you ski 4 times in two day. I really like that. Also, if you do Wide Ride you can ski up to 8 times in a weekend. That is just plain a dog gone good time for skiing.

The 67" Theory is wide enough as well as the 69" Senate. The Theory will get you through 35" off but you have to really get through it light on the line. Doesn't like to be cranked too hard in the turn. And at 30 mph, it is very tough to get through 38 off without "crankin" it.

I believe the rule is the ski needs to be 7.25" wide. I know the 69" Radar Senates are legal for this event. What other skis are legal? Looks like the HO SL is not legal.

I am not a jumper but a Slalom freak, but I could see where if this could be done with Ski Jumps on public lakes the sport of waterskiing would literally just boom with tournament participants. Accessibility to ski courses and jumps have killed the participation in tournament skiing thus turning it into an elite sport. This could be the boost the sport needs.

Never have missed a gate in a tourney. However, going early a tad before the gate in practice has never really helped especially at the really shorter line lengths so I really don't see the need for the gate to be a requirement. If you really think the gates should be required, then perhaps you should have to go through two buoys six times than around the outside six times as currently done. Maybe we should add a buoy 10 feet outside each turn ball at a distance from the boat path at 47 1/2. And go between them on each turn.

Have you guys seen a Lingerie Football League game? They had it on Fox News.I wholehearted support this as for no other reason, I can see that there probably aren't alot of brain injuries happening here. Now these girls will probably need some help in their off season with some crossfit and waterskiing. Just saying!

We use the camo net as cover when duck hunting. We now use a new wider and stable jon boat for duck hunting. I was tired of trying to duck hunt in a tiny jonboat and fell out one time. Water was cold as #$@$. Nautique was nice to shoot from but you can't get in shallow water. I mostly just striper fish in deep water and spend most my time out on the swim platform. Tough to bass fish although I have got where I can cast out very far. Yes, there were Fish Nautiques back in the day. Nice boats for deep sea and fresh water fishing. Another boat called Shamrock was a smaller fishing boat. It was direct drive like a Nautique with the center console acting as the motor cover/box. I recall the Shamrock had a pleasure craft marine engine in it. Like the Fish Nautique, they are hard to find but they are a real gem stacked up against the mechanical troubles that eventually come with Outboard engines. Too old to ski but not to fish:)

Due to the economy, I really couldn't keep both the Nautique and the bass boat, so the bass boat had to go. Now, I am planning to do some fishing with the Nautique. Has anyone mounted a trolling motor on a Nautique up front? I wish I had bought an open bow, but I never thought I would start fishing with the Nautique. Have been duck hunting with it though.